Steelers CB Ike Taylor: ‘I Still Have A Lot To Prove’

Veteran Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor turned 34 earlier this month and even though 2013 was perhaps the worst season of his 11-year career, he believes that he can rebound in 2014.

“I still have a lot to prove,” Taylor said on the Tuesday episode of “The Ike Taylor Show” on Trib Live Radio. “I feel like over these last two years, especially last year, I feel like I got a lot to prove. That’s just me. That’s the competitiveness in me.”

While Taylor has never been one to point to injuries as being the cause of poor play at times during his career, he did hint on Tuesday that a rib injury caused him not be at his best last season.

“Man, I was banged up,” said Taylor. “No excuse. Once I go on that field, I still got to handle my business, but these last two years, Superman got caught with a little kryptonite.”

That little kryptonite last year that caught Taylor, who also missed the last four games of the 2012 season due to an ankle injury, primarily came in the form of big wide receivers, one of which was Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon, who caught 14 passes for 231 yards and two touchdowns last season with Taylor covering him.

In addition, Taylor allowed 62.8% of the total passes thrown his way last season to be completed, according to Pro Football Focus.

Despite him being banged up last season, Taylor never missed a game and he only missed 24 defensive snaps. That’s a testament to the annual offseason conditioning that he does in Florida with renown trainer Tom Shaw.

Taylor took one heck of a pay cut this offseason in order to end his career with the Steelers and being as the team waited until the fifth-round this year to draft a cornerback, it appears as though that they trust he has one more good season left in him as well.

Taylor said Tuesday that he knows what he needs to do in 2014 in order to prove he still has what it takes to be a reliable starting cornerback for the Steelers.

“I got to go back to my hawk status. That’s all, I got to turn into the hawk now.”

The guy is starting to sound like Limas Sweed. Hawk!!! Certainly not referring to a ball hawk.

Garrett Hunt

I wouldn’t bet against him. Imagine how much our defense would be improved if we got the Ike of 3-4 years ago. I think him and Allen are the key to this years success.

JAMESH

Ike may have more than a year left in him if he doesn’t need to be the number one CB.

steeltown

We definitely need C.Allen to stay healthy and make a huge jump this season. That alone will calm some fears in regards to the CB position.

steeltown

Hawk Taylor… ah I wish

shawn

If he played semi well … i would have no qualms keeping him as a transition & backup for another year

AzheDraven

I find ironic that the first time I played franchise mode on madden he almost got the season record for interceptions. Lol. Hope he does that this year, tho.

William Weaver

If he could catch the damn ball he would have had 5-7 interceptions last year and people would have viewed his season differently. But, he can’t catch and that really hurt the team bad a few times last year. Hasn’t he ever tried stick-em? Lol

joed32

If he could catch he would have been signed away for the big bucks years ago.

Ken

Ike is held to a higher standard than everyone else. It’s like if the other cornerbacks have a bad season we expect it. Ike has been a huge part of the success the Steelers have had and he has always been tough as nails. You see him get slammed and you think he is out for the game at the least and he comes running back on the field the next play, usually before the announcers even realize he is back. I have nothing but good things to say about Ike, I’m hoping he has a great year for us.

John C

It’s not kryptonite….it’s called getting old and wearing down. There is no reason not to think we won’t be banged up this year as well.

http://batman-news.com steellife007

Maybe if he got a pass rush like he used to have he would play like he used to. I’m pretty sure Ike has lost a step but our pass rush has lost more than a step over the last 2-3yrs.

http://batman-news.com steellife007

Here’s to our young LB’s stepping up!

William Weaver

Good point

cencalsteeler

His quotes are basically confessing that his play has dropped off. He has a lot to prove because he saw what happened to Clark and he realizes he’s not far behind. Love Ike Taylor and all that he has done for the Steelers, but, when I look across the defensive lineup, his position is the one that looks like the weak link, imo. Maybe witnessing the Clark drop off in production has skewed my thoughts with Ike and he may miraculously have a great season. But, history is not on his side with his age and his admitted lackluster season last year. And honestly, it’s not the coverage that scares me as much as his drop off in coming in on run support. I hope he proves me wrong.

Steve

Interceptions with Iron Hands Ike, who you kiddin? Go back to Madden cause it not happening in the NFL.

Steve

By the end of the year all the players are banged up. Got to suck it up and go on, this is the NFL and that is part of the job.

John T

It is all about the pass rush. We have never had great corners except for Rod Woodson. We won those last two super bowls on the backs of the front seven. I think that Ike is a really good corner and if he could catch he would be a pro bowler every year and he would have been given big money by someone else

Wayne Darby

I think they should defnitely try to sign Allen to an extension before the season and he prices himself right out of Pittsburgh.

steeltown

I agree.. for more reasons then one, we also have to think about next offseason with Worilds, Pouncey, Heyward and Ben… would be nice to atleast get C.Allen and maybe one other guy locked up THIS offseason

Matt Manzo

Same thing happened to me! He’s #1 in interceptions!
Thing that pisses me off the most is Archer only has 91 speed!

Wayne Darby

Hopefully they can get either Heyward or Worilds extended after June 1.

steeltown

They used the 5th yr option on Heyward, that makes me think they’ll wait till next offseason to offer an extension

Wayne Darby

They had a deadline to use that. I see that more as a backup plan if they can’t get a long term deal.

Matthew Suloman

Patriots own him.. It’s gonna be a long season. For us not to address the corner position this year with a high selection, well….I hope the gamble with Shazier/Archer/Bryant pay off.

Matthew Suloman

Yeah really….

Matthew Suloman

Yeah really…

dgh57

I know it’s only on paper but we increased the pass rush, increased the speed in who’s playing in front of him at LB and the speed behind him at FS. Plus Troy should be able to play in his normal position. The supporting cast has a lot to say on the quality of play at CB. So I’m going to play it more on the optimistic side and say Taylor has a rebound year!

ApexSteel

That’s all well and good, but Ike isn’t a top corner anymore. He can play AJ Green well for some reason, but leave all the other number one wideouts to Cortez.

AzheDraven

Nothing wrong with believing, even if it aint real. Ask Cleveland, lol.

Don Lowery

People forget only the best recievers are covered by Ike. He’s a hellofa ballplayer in my book. He not done by a long shot either. Our linebackers not being able to drop back very good in coverage hurt him as well as Clark and others play dropping off. Ike tried to cover alot of those weaknesses., HANG IN THERE IKE!!!!!!

Don Lowery

No way Apex…..no way! Ike still has it. Wait and see.

blackandgoldBullion

That’s why I always say its nice to have a little extra cash in your back pocket.

SfSteeler

we are paper thin in multiple positions including TE, CB, OLB…

in this discussion we need to sign Cortez to a 3 year NOW to have any form of safety, as much as the FO is secure with our current CB situation!?

Luis Grove

The Pats have a hall of fame QB and they take advantage of anything you give them. Not to mention the Pats aren’t on our schedule this year. Ike gets far less respect, appreciation and quite frankly thanks than he deserves. I watched him get beat the second half of last season, I have also watched him lock down everyone’s #1 receiver for the better part of a decade. I think he will represent himself we’ll against the 2’s. Thank you for your part in the rings we Steelers fans regularly boast about

ApexSteel

No chance bro. Even towards the end on last season they moved Ike to the #2 corner which is where I think he needs to be. No more Torrey Smiths or Josh Gordons for him.

Jim McCarley

With all due respect, I never cared for Ike’s play….he always seemed to play off balance, like he was about to fall down many times and did on occasion. Ike benefited from the way the Steelers played defense. he was more often times asked to play well off receivers and simply make the tackle or push them out of bounds after the catch. I hate that style of play. If Ike had been called upon to play more bump coverage and play tight on guys he would have not been with the team this long and maybe out of the NFL years ago, imo. Not a huge Ike fan….

Don Lowery

ok Apex……..I slept on it. I agree. #2 corner is where he needs to be. LOL

dgh57

I agree and see Taylor getting one year deals from now on and being moved to #2 CB. I see that’s the way they go with how they go about drafting CBs now days or someone better comes along.

WIINGY

5-7 interceptions last year? LOL. He doesn’t even play the ball nor was in the vicinity of it last year. What’s he have 5-7 career INTs? Can’t put that all on his hands.

William Weaver

He dropped that many last year. I know of atleast 4 flat out drops and a couple other could of had balls. Yes, he could have had 5-7 last year. He can’t catch at all. I remember one in the end zone on a deep route he had deep position and it was like the ball was thrown to him. Flat out dropped it. I am not bad mouthing him. What I was saying if he would just hold onto a few of these he would be looked at totally different. Still capable, just still can’t catch.

WIINGY

agree, he’s a cover 3 system cornerback who benefited from great front seven play. Most overrated Steeler of all-time. Never made a pro bowl and deservedly so.